LAS VEGAS — A 3-pointer over Anthony Davis, swish. A baseline turnaround over Jrue Holiday, easy. An acrobatic putback after crashing the boards and getting fouled by Bam Adebayo, no problem.

Those are three of the best defenders in the NBA.

Cooper Flagg is 17 years old. He held his own against them all.

The story of practice for the U.S. Olympic basketball team on Monday was Flagg, who hasn’t even played his first college game yet. The Duke freshman — part of the select team that was invited to work out against the Olympic squad during their training camp and widely believed to be in the mix as the No. 1 pick in next year’s draft — looked totally at ease going against some of the NBA’s biggest names.

“The opportunity, it was great,” Flagg said. “It was a blessing to be here. I think just the physicality, and just the level of where I want to get to, there’s a lot to get better at, a lot where I need to keep improving. This showed just how big the details are.”

He will surely get better. That might be a scary concept.

“He kicked butt here,” U.S. select team coach Jamahl Mosley of the Orlando Magic said. “There’s a respect factor for what he’s done. People who have not seen him play, as he gets himself going within the game, they quickly see what he can do.”

The select team is typically made up of young NBA players, brought in to scrimmage the national team and help them prepare for either World Cup or Olympic competition. Flagg was the first college player asked to be part of the select team since Doug McDermott and Marcus Smart were asked to join a mini-camp in 2013.

But those situations weren’t anywhere near the same as Flagg being part of this camp. McDermott had played 110 college games for Creighton at that point and was a two-time consensus All-American. Smart was coming off a freshman season when he won Big 12 rookie of the year and player of the year honors at Oklahoma State. They were already proven.

Flagg has zero college points. He still proved plenty in this camp.

“He wants it,” U.S. guard Devin Booker said. “I know this experience, he’s going to take with him and move forward.”

In Monday’s scrimmage — the Olympic team beat the select team 74-73 — Flagg was in the middle of everything down the stretch and looked perfectly comfortable. And when it was over, there were plenty of pictures with everyone; the select team’s final day in camp was Monday, though some may be invited to stick around to continue assisting the Olympic squad.

“To be able to do what he did, not even playing a college game, let alone an NBA game, there’s no fear,” select team forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. of the Miami Heat said. “It’s relentless. And the thing that you can tell about him is that he just has a knack and the will to win. He doesn’t need the ball. He just finds a way to it. And the ball finds its way to him. That’s something that you can’t teach. He’s just got a great feel for the game.”

Flagg is a 6-foot-9 forward from Newport, Maine, but played his last three years of high school basketball at Montverde Academy in Florida. He chose Duke over Connecticut, was USA Basketball’s male athlete of the year in 2022 after leading the Americans to gold at the U17 World Cup, and was the Gatorade National Player of the Year, Naismith Player of the Year and a McDonald’s All-American in his final high school season.

“I was shocked, I was surprised, and I was really excited for this opportunity,” Flagg said. “And I’m just really blessed that I was able to come out and capitalize on it and show what I have. I was really grateful to come out and learn. That was the biggest thing for me, just being able to learn and grow, to share a gym with all of these great, great names. Legends. So, I’m just truly blessed.”

Cooper Flagg, a rising star in the world of competitive swimming, has recently made headlines for seizing a unique opportunity to compete against the U.S. Olympic team. The 19-year-old swimmer from California has been making waves in the swimming world with his impressive performances and dedication to his sport.

Flagg’s journey to competing against the U.S. Olympic team began when he was invited to participate in a prestigious invitational meet that featured some of the top swimmers in the country. Despite being one of the youngest competitors at the meet, Flagg showed no signs of intimidation and instead rose to the occasion, posting impressive times and finishing among the top swimmers in several events.

His standout performances caught the attention of coaches and scouts from the U.S. Olympic team, who were impressed by Flagg’s raw talent and determination. They saw potential in him and extended an invitation for him to compete in a special exhibition race against some of the top swimmers on the U.S. Olympic team.

For Flagg, this opportunity is a dream come true and a chance to prove himself on a national stage. He has been training tirelessly in preparation for the race, pushing himself to new limits and fine-tuning his technique to ensure that he is in peak form on race day.

Competing against the U.S. Olympic team is no small feat, but Flagg is determined to give it his all and show the world what he is capable of. He knows that this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and he is not taking it lightly.

As Flagg gears up for the race of his life, he is grateful for the support of his family, friends, and coaches who have been by his side every step of the way. He is also grateful for the opportunity to compete against some of the best swimmers in the world, knowing that it will only make him stronger and more determined to achieve his goals.

No matter the outcome of the race, one thing is certain – Cooper Flagg has already proven himself to be a force to be reckoned with in the world of competitive swimming. His dedication, talent, and unwavering determination serve as an inspiration to aspiring athletes everywhere, showing that with hard work and perseverance, anything is possible.